Digital Cameras

[dave1988]

My dad has brought my mum a digital camera for xmas and As I am interested in Gardening, I would like to take interesting pictures of gardens etc.

Can you give me any tips on how to be successful in this area?

 

[fisherman2]

Use a tri-pod, seems digital cameras are more sensititve to any movement, take many pictures, with digital you can erase the bad ones, take subject in black and white also, pay attention to light.

 

[dave1988]

Ok. Will it turn out funny if it was in black and white?

 

[Southern Cross]

Both black and white and color are fine. You best times of the day to shoot are in the early morning or late afternoon light, or on overcast days ( I hear you have a lot of overcast days in Britain).

Gettng water droplets from morning dew in your images is a great way to grab interest in the image.

The suggestion to use a tripod is a good one. You'll need it in low light levels. Flash does not look very good for garden images - try using natural light and cheap reflectors (cardboard covered with crinkled tin foil, matte side up - or bright white cardboard will work).

 

[dave1988]

What about at different levels and angles? Are they important.

 

[Jer]

It might be quite good to buy a few gardening magazines and have a look at the pictures in them. Generally they will show the usual angles that flowers and so on are taken it. Practice trying to repeat shots like them and when you get good at that then play around. This is a lot better with your digital camera as you don't have to pay for each photo to be developed, only the ones you really like to be printed.

Something that you might consider (if the camera is an SLR and you have money) is getting a macro lense. This means that you can focus really close. Normally if you do get a macro lense go for one about 90-105mm.

Another small hint, try and make sure that the flowers and plants you take pictures of are in as good a condition as possible, so that there's not a disease on them etc. Do a bit of gardening and taking off dead leaves if needs be, it's not cheating!